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Carp-Talk on foreign soil Editorial assistant Paul recounts the Carp-Talk team s five-day October session on the up-and-coming venue in central France FACT FILE Venue name: Etang de Vost Size: 4½

com Etang de Vost It s fair to say I was happy with this one The season of goodwill, glad tidings and merriment is here again, but before we know it the decorations will be back in the loft, we ll

It s then when many carp anglers will turn their attentions to booking their summer trips aboard, but where to choose? Read on and I might be able to help you make your decision.

2 Carp-Talk on foreign soil Editorial assistant Paul recounts the Carp-Talk team s five-day October session on the up-and-coming venue in central France FACT FILE Venue name: Etang de Vost Size: 4½ acres Location: Lourdoueix-Saint- Pierre, France Stock: Approximately 250 fish to 40lb-plus etangdevost@me.com Website: com Etang de Vost It s fair to say I was happy with this one The season of goodwill, glad tidings and merriment is here again, but before we know it the decorations will be back in the loft, we ll all be on detox and the short January days will have us longing for foreign climes. It s then when many carp anglers will turn their attentions to booking their summer trips aboard, but where to choose? Read on and I might be able to help you make your decision. In October the Carp-Talk foursome of Beverley Clifford, her World Catfish Classic partner Jason Ingley, North Regional Angler of the Year Alan Atkinson and my good self ventured down to central France to spend five days at a little-known gem of a lake called Etang de Vost. We were kindly invited to pay a visit by the venue s owner Ian Mouncey, who promised us diligent hospitability and plenty of action in glorious surroundings, with the potential of some unseasonably warm weather... how could we refuse? Because we would be setting off from East Yorkshire, arrangements were made to travel to Portsmouth and get the overnight ferry to Caen, when we could get our heads down for a few hours before the five-hour journey to the lake in Lourdoueix-Saint- Pierre. The day of our adventure finally arrived and we all met up at Carp-Talk HQ to tackle the Herculean task of loading up Jase s van, which would be our chariot for the journey. Space was definitely at a premium so, after much convincing, Bev agreed to leave a few of her shoe bags behind to make way for the far more important inclusion of our bait. Bev, Alan and I had ordered a healthy supply of Ocean X, Secret 7 and NuttaS boiles from DNA Baits, which they had air-dried for us 54 Carp-Talk Log on to Shop at

Paul Monkman The view that greeted us on arrival Paws at 29lb-plus The result of a hectic morning which probably had something to do with Bev s uncompromising driving style, and before we knew it we

I say us but I m abundance of far-margin features to target.

Most memorable catch: My first-ever capture on proper carp tactics. It was only a 9½lb mirror, but I knew from then on that carp fishing was the discipline for me.

All aboard With the van rocking on its axles, we finally got under way.

So, refreshed, excited and in extremely high spirits, we took on the French roads with vigour, and for the most part even remembered to stick to the right-hand lane.

impressions couldn t have been more positive.

3 Paul Monkman The view that greeted us on arrival Paws at 29lb-plus The result of a hectic morning which probably had something to do with Bev s uncompromising driving style, and before we knew it we were enjoying a delicious steak dinner in a Portsmouth restaurant having arrived in plenty of time for our ferry. Thankfully, the crossing was very good to us. I say us but I m abundance of far-margin features to target. Alan and Jase were especially sporting and insisted that Bev and I had first choice of swims, so we opted for swims two and three respectively. Jase took a shine to the shallower water in swim four, leaving Alan with swim one, but he ANGLER PROFILE paul monkman Check out four videos from Carp-Talk s trip to Etang de Vost by scanning in this QR code, which will take you to our YouTube channel. Year of birth: 1982 Hometown: Hull Favourite venue: Motorway Pond Favourite tactic: Boat a load of bait out; put my feet up. Most memorable catch: My first-ever capture on proper carp tactics. It was only a 9½lb mirror, but I knew from then on that carp fishing was the discipline for me. My swim note the productive far-margin snags especially for our trip, so we were well equipped, while Jase was well stocked up with his ever-faithful Monster Crab courtesy of Rhino Baits. All aboard With the van rocking on its axles, we finally got under way. The journey down to the South Coast didn t take as long as we expected, Jase casually gives a fish a bit of side-strain mainly referring to myself, as boats and I generally don t mix. So, refreshed, excited and in extremely high spirits, we took on the French roads with vigour, and for the most part even remembered to stick to the right-hand lane. At a little after 1pm we rolled into the car park of our destination, where we were greeted by Ian and the sight of an alluring, tree-lined lake akin to that of an old English estate lake first impressions couldn t have been more positive. Like any good host, Ian was quick to put the kettle on and we sat down together to discuss our journey and what was in store for us over the next five days. Ian whetted our appetites with stories of recent large hits of fish, so it wasn t long before we were itching to get started, but first we needed to decide on our swims. Etang de Vost is 4½ acres but has just four pegs, all along one bank, giving each angler plenty of room and an had no complaints, especially as it meant he could put his banksticks in the ground and wouldn t have to use a pod. Once a tart, always a tart... Let s get cracking With the houses up and the shorts on (it might have been late October, but it was bloomin warm) it was time to figure out what was in front of me. The far margin was adorned with overhanging trees and screamed carp, while the near margins also looked worth a try. A few casts towards the trees on the far margin revealed a soft, silty bottom, which seemed to be the theme right across the lake; not surprising considering the amount of trees around the venue, which must have dropped millions of leaves into the lake over the years. Because I would be casting my baits baitboats aren t allowed a distance of around 110 yards, I wanted to guarantee myself the Carp-Talk 55

Carp-Talk on foreign soil Bev guides one into the net My new personal best Sky at 32lb 9oz best possible presentation, so I opted for chods on all three rods.

test-flavour Candy Stick to the far margins, before using a throwing stick to put out half a kilo of freebies over each rod.

The Monk, I ve got one, was all I remember hearing, but it did the trick of getting me out of bed. He wasn t lying, as there on his mat lay a chunk of a mirror, the first fish of our trip.

After the scales revealed a weight of 34¼lb, a few pictures were taken and the fish was slipped back but it wouldn t be the last time the two would cross paths.

A single beep, the sound of the line pinging from the clip and another beep signified a take I was fishing as tight and locked up as possible because of the snags.

4 Carp-Talk on foreign soil Bev guides one into the net My new personal best Sky at 32lb 9oz best possible presentation, so I opted for chods on all three rods. Typically, Alan had a few protestations about my rigs, as he considers chods a pub-chuck tactic, but I ve learnt to ignore his ramblings and soon set about sending two Ocean X pop-ups and a test-flavour Candy Stick to the far margins, before using a throwing stick to put out half a kilo of freebies over each rod. I decided to go steady with the bait for the first night, just to see what happened. That night I slipped off into a deep sleep, only to be awoken at 1.45am by the beam of Alan s headtorch. The Monk, I ve got one, was all I remember hearing, but it did the trick of getting me out of bed. He wasn t lying, as there on his mat lay a chunk of a mirror, the first fish of our trip. Ian had heard Alan s alarms go and also came over to take a look, immediately confirming it was a fish called Bertha. After the scales revealed a weight of 34¼lb, a few pictures were taken and the fish was slipped back but it wouldn t be the last time the two would cross paths... I returned to bed to dream of a fish of my own and didn t have wait long before it materialised. A single beep, the sound of the line pinging from the clip and another beep signified a take I was fishing as tight and locked up as possible because of the snags. I lifted into the fish and immediately put the pressure on, keeping the rod low in an attempt to prevent catching the snags with my line it worked! Once out of the snags, the fish plodded around for about 10 minutes before being scooped up in my landing net. It wasn t long before sunrise, so I put the fish in the recovery sling and got the rod back out on the spot in the hope of another bite, safe in the knowledge I was off the mark. Hungry Bertha I had expected that Monday morning to involve a few pics of the fish I d caught in the night and a nice croissant-based breakfast, but in the end I was a lot busier than I anticipated, landing a further four fish to just shy of 30lb by lunchtime! I had seemingly lost my mojo with the throwing stick that morning and was struggling to make the distance, which I put down to the density of the air (that s what I call an excuse!), so when the bites slowed again I used Ian s rowing boat to deposit a few kilos of Ocean X and NuttaS over my spots. The fish were clearly in the mood for a feed, so I took the opportunity to put a good bed of freebies down. A couple of low twenties followed later that afternoon, before I was beckoned over to Alan s swim, as he was in again on the same rod as before. With Bev poised with the landing net, a familiar scale pattern emerged on the surface as the fish tried to roll on the line. With our suspicions already heightened, they were soon confirmed when Bev scooped the fish up and we peered into the net it was Bertha again! Fortunately, because the pictures in the dark weren t the best, we were able to get some improved shots this time around. Every cloud and all that... As afternoon gave way to evening, Jase and Bev both got in on the action with a few fish of their own a 26lb 10oz mirror for Bev being the pick of the early-evening action while I had a few lowtwenty commons on Red Berry wafters. The throwing stick was becoming a vital weapon in our armoury and we were all topping up our swims with feverish regularity, while the occasional visit to the spots with the boat to deposit a larger quantity of bait certainly helped keep the fish coming. Four s company After a few more fish slipped up during the night, all hell let loose on Tuesday morning when seven fish were caught between the four of us in the space of an hour and a half! With four low- to upper-twenties on the bank at the same time, we Bev holds up a 20lb-plus common Alan and his good mate, Bertha 56 Carp-Talk Log on to Shop at

Paul Monkman Jase displays one of his chunks A low thirty with lovely markings couldn t resist a photo opportunity of all of us together with our fish.

That afternoon, Jase slipped his net under three twenties in quick succession, including a well-proportioned mirror of 27¼lb.

Jase is a vastly experienced oarsman, and spent much of the World Catfish Classic out on the water as Bev reeled in the fish, so it was nice for him to play a few of his own fish for a change!

A slow, plodding fight ensued, followed by some heart-stopping moments as the fish pulled towards a marginal tree-stump.

5 Paul Monkman Jase displays one of his chunks A low thirty with lovely markings couldn t resist a photo opportunity of all of us together with our fish. It was a fantastic moment, one that will live with me for a long time, and symbolised what is possible at this lake. That afternoon, Jase slipped his net under three twenties in quick succession, including a well-proportioned mirror of 27¼lb. Jase was making good use of Ian s boat, rowing his baits out to the spot and dropping them exactly where he wanted. Jase is a vastly experienced oarsman, and spent much of the World Catfish Classic out on the water as Bev reeled in the fish, so it was nice for him to play a few of his own fish for a change! Elsewhere, Bev, Alan and I were also picking up the odd fish before, in the early-evening sunshine, I hit into something that felt a little bit heavier. A slow, plodding fight ensued, followed by some heart-stopping moments as the fish pulled towards a marginal tree-stump. Thankfully, my 3½lb test-curve rods had enough strength in them to change the fish s direction and I was able to coax it into the awaiting landing net. Before the fish was even lifted out of the water, the decision of a water shot had been made by my compadres, so I was getting wet whether I liked it or not. I wasn t too concerned, though, because at a couple of ounces shy of 30lb, it was my biggest fish of the trip so far. We took a bit of time out to enjoy some French wine and a few beers that night (when in France and all that) and had a good laugh about anything and everything. The fish kept on coming, though, and in the hours of darkness Bev put a further three fish to low twenties on the mat and kept on catching into Wednesday afternoon. The fish had clearly moved over her bed of Ocean X and Secret 7. Strong finish The action had slowed for me a little and, though I had rediscovered my mojo with the throwing stick, I wanted to get a larger quantity of bait out there as soon as possible; in truth, I wanted to nick a few of Bev s fish! So, I took to the water in the boat and spread 6-7kg of Ocean X and NuttaS over the three rods. Alan was getting into a few fish himself on Wednesday and was even managing to avoid Bertha for a third time. It was commonplace for Alan, and for all three of us for that matter, but especially Alan, to receive a take on one rod just as he d got one fish in the net it happened with such regularity you could almost predict when a rod would go. A few upper twenties helped keep Alan s average size of fish around the 26-27lb mark. The 5pm bite time produced its usual flurry of fish, with a chunky 28¼lb mirror falling to one of my glugged Ocean X pop-ups and ending a barren spell for me of around 18 hours. I had a feeling my earlier boat deposit would come good and, with the spot topped up with a few hundred boilies after each fish, the action continued throughout the night and into Thursday morning. Then, on Thursday lunchtime, I was finally rewarded with a named fish of my own, a mirror known as Sky. I had only just recast a rod towards one of the far-margins snags and hadn t even had chance to put any extra bait out before I heard the now-familiar sound of a beep, the line pinging from the clip and another beep on the alarm. Ian was on hand to do the netting and immediately recognised the fish, which got its name when Ian first caught it while trying to fix his satellite TV reception! The fish tipped the scales at 32lb 9oz, which was a new personal best for me, so it was time to reel in for a few hours, rest the swim and pop open the champagne, which was guzzled down in no time. Ian was even good enough to visit the local takeaway for us and we spent the evening gorging ourselves on pizzas which, I have to say, were fantastic I can highly recommend the Napoli. That night and subsequent morning we notched up a further eight 20lb-plus fish between us, including another thirty of 30¾lb that fell to my rods, helping round off my own session on a high note. The final fish of the week, a low-twenty mirror, was landed by Jase and took our overall tally to just shy of 50 fish a good five days work! Typically, as we began to pack up, we had our first downpour of the visit, but it did little to dampen our spirits; we d caught plenty of fish, been extremely well looked after by Ian and had enjoyed a This mirror fell tantalisingly short of 30lb damn good laugh at the same time. For a group of three or four friends wanting to share a week s fishing, and prolific fishing at that, Etang de Vost really is an ideal destination, so give it some thought when booking your 2013 foreign excursion. I first visited the lake in 2007 and fell in love with the place the moment I saw it. I looked at other places, but they just didn t have the character or the aesthetics of Etang de Vost, so there was no competition when it came to deciding which lake to buy I just couldn t wait to get my hands on the place. The lake had been left to its own devices for 10 years as the previous owner had passed away and his wife was unable to look after it, so I had a lot of work to do before I could turn the lake into a fishery once again. There was already an existing stock of fish in the lake and, though not massive fish, all of them were in excellent condition, seemingly benefiting from the oxygenated stream water that feeds into the lake through an inlet. I set about boosting the stock with a ton of hard-fighting carp (104 in total) including a couple of forties and a good head of thirties and upper twenties, and they have integrated with the original fish extremely well. I ve seen the lake flourish since I took ownership and I want to be able to share the experience with anglers who choose to come back year upon year. I appreciate that everybody wants something different from a fishing holiday, so I m more than happy to offer customised packages to suit individual requirements. Be it drive and survive, food packages, collection from Limoges Airport, or even travel from the UK, there is a package available for everyone here at Etang de Vost. Ian Mouncey, Etang de Vost owner Carp-Talk 57

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